Analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) convert analog input values to a digital form. For example, in many applications, it is desirable to digitally process signals that originate in an analog form. Such is generally the case with signals originating from various types of sensors and input devices. The signals may be converted to a digital approximation by an ADC and processed by control systems, processors, and the like. In such applications, it is also desirable for the ADC to exhibit high performance (e.g., signal-to-noise ratio, etc.) over the dynamic range (e.g., range of signal levels, etc.) of the sensor or input device.
In some cases, achieving a desired level of ADC performance over the dynamic range of a sensor within its application environment comes at the expense of significant overhead (e.g., area, power dissipation, etc.). Is such cases, a compromised solution may be used that has a lower performance or a limited range, to reduce the overhead. In other cases, it may not be feasible to cover the expected dynamic range at a desired level of performance.